Fishing Rods
by Skywa1ker
Summary: An Ash-x-Misty one-shot. Fishing rods catch more than just water Pokemon. The catch might just be your love, especially if a Pokemon is masterminding the whole thing...Timeline: Just after Sinnoh. - skywa1ker.


**Fishing Rods**

The little village of Pallet was probably the sleepiest of all the places in the Kanto region. The evenings saw all lights off by nine, except the lab of course, where the world famous professor Oak toiled day and night to solve the mysteries of the Pokemon world.

But today, even past the mid night, one home was yet to turn off its lights. A worried mother paced around the home frantically scared for her son who was to reach home today from his journey in another region.

Delia looked at the clock that just ticked past 12:30, and clenched her heart, "Oh, Mimey, do you think he's alright?" she asked looking worriedly at the barrier Pokemon.

"Mime, mime..." her only house help reassured her.

She had already fed Misty and convinced her to sleep against her will. The cerulean gym leader had arrived the day before to help Delia with some house chores which the later wanted to finish before her son arrived. Delia was immensely thankful to Misty as always, for her help at times of need. Misty grew close to Delia as a daughter who gave her company to ward off the feeling of loneliness.

Delia sighed and rested on the couch, with her thoughts lingering around Misty and Ash and how she wished they were together.

"Mom! I'm home!"

The raven haired trainer barged through the door looking a little weak and torn off from the journey. His jeans all muddy from dirt and his clothes all drenched in rain. Pikachu looked a little tired too but not enough to prevent him from jumping to Delia's cozy arms. But, jumping into her arms was a mistake the electric type thought it should've avoided.

"Oh, Ash! My baby!"

Pikachu was crushed between the mother and son affection Delia showed with a bone crushing hug. The boy choked for a few seconds before finally planting his feet on the ground.

A few tears ran down her cheeks, which melted Ash's heart. He swiftly wiped them off her face with his fingers, not able to see his mother cry. "What happened mom? Please don't cry..."

She distanced herself form him by just a few inches and looked into his eyes, "I thought something bad must've happened to you Ash. It's past midnight you know and the forest is a very dangerous place...That's how your dad..."

Delia closed her mouth abruptly with her hands.

"...Dad?" Ash asked a little confused.

"Nothing Ash," Delia looked past her son into the darkness in the night, "please don't scare me like that. At least carry a mobile phone with you."

"Can I come in mom?" the boy whined.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry Ash." Delia giggled and let her son past her. Throwing his backpack aside he ran up to the dining table and opened the lid of a dish among several other. His eyes watered delightfully, "Oh, wow. I'm famished."

"Mime mime!" The barrier Pokemon pushed Ash aside before he was able to put his finger in the bowl.

"First go and take a bath Ash," Delia instructed sternly.

"Aww, mom. Pretty please..."

"No Ash, you'll get sick."

The boy pouted, and shouldering his back pack he worked his way up the stairs to his room. He creaked opened the door, wondering how it was maintained all the year that he'd been away.

Surprisingly, the bed light was on. "Huh?"

His eyes widened at the sight of someone sleeping in **his **bed. Sheets were draped all over the figure making the strange occupant unrecognizable. He thought of going down and asking his mom, but his legs protested against going up and down that pesky staircase.

He looked at the person more closely. The shape of the figure, especially lower half indicated it was girl. He slowly reached the bed and uncovered the girl's face. For a second he didn't recognize who it was. Neck length orange hair, peaceful expression on her face. Her head snuggled into the pillow unusually.

His eyes widened and he jumped back in surprise, '_Misty_' he whispered in shock. _What was she doing here? Did she come to visit me?__Why is she sleeping in my room? Did she look at all my stuff? _Most importantly... _is she even Misty?_

'Misty' and 'peaceful looks' usually didn't go together in a sentence. She had changed a lot in all these years of them being apart.

His urge to look at her more closely had overcome his consciousness. He stood there for good two minutes looking her face in the cool moon light. "S-she's beautiful..." he murmured to himself unconsciously.

Suddenly shaking out of his stupor he pulled out a towel from the closet and ran into the bathroom cursing himself for 'those' thoughts on Misty.

.o0o.

"Ma..." The boy looked up at sleepy looking Delia with the spoon still in his mouth.

"Yes son?"

"I was wondering...when Misty came?"

Delia's eyes widened and her hands palms went up to cover her face in embarrassment, "Oh, in all that worry about you, I forget to tell about that. She just arrived yesterday Ash. Offered to help me with the chores..."

"Chores...?"

"Yeah, you know. Cleaning up your room. Preparing this delicious meal..."

He shuddered internally. What was worse...? Misty cleaning up his room and looking at all his stuff or him eating the food she made. He eyed the food suspiciously, "Is this even safe to eat?" He picked up Pikachu and placed it on the table. "Pikachu try that..." he said pointing to a dish.

Pikachu just hopped onto his head and jovially left the trainer with the food. "Gee...thanks."

It wasn't as bad as he thought. In fact the food tasted really good. He finished devouring dinner and gave a good night hug to his mom. The old mother smiled and returned it gladly.

Not wanting to disturb the sleeping girl, he decided to sleep in the guest room which was on the other side after the staircase. He wondered why the red head took to his room instead of taking the guest room which was meant for her.

After climbing the staircase for the second time, he turned to the guest room, but his feet wouldn't let him go that way. Instead he ended up going towards his room. _'I'll just say a silent thanks __to Misty__, for cleaning up my room' _he thought. However, he didn't know that he'd be spend the whole night staring at the red head's face.

.o0o.

Misty woke up to the sunlight from the window screen. Rubbing her eyes she threw the covers aside and sat up on the bed stretching. He eyes swayed to the raven haired trainer on the ground by the wall facing her, eyes closed. '_Oh, Ash' _she thought. _'__Was he here all night? __Poor Ash, I must've fell asleep in his bed last night.' _

She walked up to the window and opened it to let in the fresh air in. She rested her hands on the window sill and breathed in deeply, "Pleasant morning. Better get ready before Ash sees me in this mess." she said to herself looking at her untied hair and pajamas.

She walked to the mirror and pulled out her hair band.

"Why don't you leave your hair down like that?" came a voice from behind. She jumped around and saw Ash sitting on the ground with his head rested on his knees and a big smile plastered on his face.

"What?"

"Your hair...you look cuter that way..." he replied with the same innocent smile, "...leave it untied. Last night when I saw you sleeping, I didn't even recognize you for a moment there."

She turned back to the mirror to hide the crimson blush that crept on her face. Throwing the hair band away she just ran comb through her hair and let it be. "Get out Ash, I need to change."

"But, this is my room..." Ash whined playfully.

"It was I who painstakingly cleaned up this room yesterday Mister."

"(Boo hoo) That still doesn't change the fact that this room belongs to me..."

"Then I'll change in front of you..." Misty slowly tugged the under of her top and pulled it up in a slow motion. Ash looked at her utterly shocked. "Ah...M-misty-?" Before he could see anything that happened she threw her top at his face covering his eyes.

In a flash before he took the piece of clothing off his face, she was already in her changed attire. "How'd you do that so fast Misty?"

"Hmph" she grabbed the top from Ash's hand and walked out of the room.

"I'm gonna tell my mom that you changed infront of me!" he screamed from behind.

"...and I'll add a few more frying pans to my shopping list!" she replied back slyly. He gulped in horror.

.o0o.

"So how was Sinnoh?" she asked.

"Ahh...nothing bad. Met this jerk trainer named Paul. Top four. A few new Pokemon. That's all..."

It was late evening and the pair was heading towards Cerulean City. Ash had offered to walk her up to the town, which she was more than glad to accept. However, she could feel something unusual in her ex-travel companion's behavior. "You know Ash, it was really generous of you to walk me up to Cerulean." She said. "Never expected that out of you."

Unlike her expectation, Ash didn't grumble or feel annoyed at the half insulting compliment. Instead he said, "Thanks Misty, somehow I felt the need to spend some time with you. The travels haven't been the same without you..."

"Aww...is Ashy Boy missing me?" she teased.

Ash backed off in embarrassment, "N-no...I was telling I missed traveling with you."

Misty raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't it mean the same?"

"..."

Ash looked at the older teen for a few seconds sending chills down her spine. "You look nice with you hair down Misty."

Misty did all she could to hide the blush, "Stop saying that Ash!" she whined.

"Huh?"

"You've already said it over hundred times since morning."

"Well, I can't help but notice the change you've undergone in these years. You're hair is nice and you look...look more...like a...a.."

He paused for a second.

"What? Complete it Ash Ketchum!"

"Like a girl..." he finished.

(THUD)

Ash rubbed his head from the frying pan's impact.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

The raven haired trainer decided; it was better to stay silent than saying something stupid again.

.o0o.

Late in the evening the two decided to rest by the river for the night and wait till the morning to resume the travel to Cerulean. Misty grabbed Ash by hand, which sent a chills down the raven haired trainer's spine.

"C'mon Ash! I'll show you something..." she ran pulling him with her.

Ash however wasn't bothered where she was talking him, as his mind was racing with some strange new emotions that made his eyes focus on the hand holding his. Strangely, the touch was too intense for him.

He pulled his had away suddenly causing the redhead to turn around in surprise, "huh?"

"Uh...Misty, can we walk slowly?" He asked.

She nodded and then they walked slowly as requested. Soon, Ash felt the loss of her touch just too unbearable. He felt himself longing for it. So, he gently intertwined the fingers of his hands with her causing Misty look back at him in surprise.

"Phew, It's just too dark in here. Hope we don't get lost..." he silently added an excuse.

Misty wondered what was wrong, as it was not anywhere nearly dark. Ash trailed just a few inches behind, and enjoyed the touch of her hand, "Soo soft..." he murmured to himself. Unbeknown to him the redhead heard this, her grip tightened around him and intertwined even more, "Sure, it's getting reeaally dark Ash..." she said and giggled to herself.

Ash looked at her confused as she walked a few inches ahead of him. He sighed and fell back into his thoughts. His eyes slowly glided down Misty's back; her slender and well shaped waist, long legs.

_What am I thinking? _He felt the feeling of guilt take over him.

Feeling very bad for looking at Misty like that, he picked up pace and walked alongside her. He looked around to see where Misty was taking him. She stopped suddenly and looked at Ash, tightening the grip on his hand intertwining her fore arm with his.

Ash couldn't help but feel those strange feelings return. "Do you recognize this place?" she asked in a bare whisper.

The raven haired trainer looked around; it was the place where they first meet. The fishing rod, injured Pikachu, the bicycle, he remembered the whole thing so vividly that he felt like it was just yesterday.

"Mh-hm" he nodded.

"This is where we first met..." she said slowly, "I was fishing here...just here..." she said walking up to to the familiar spot on the river bank.

They decided to camp out there on the river bank. Ash pitched up a tent and collected some firewood, while Misty cooked up a small meal, and prepared some tea. After dinner, the two lazed around the river bank with their fishing rods.

"You got anything?" Ash asked the red head looking a little bored.

"Not yet Ash," she said and frowned at the look of boredom on Ash's face, "Patience is the key to the art of fishing. Your impatience is just too nauseating to me."

"The...art...of fishing," the trainer from Pallet burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"Gees..." Suddenly something began to tug on Misty's line. "I think I caught something!" she sounded elated and gripped the line harder, "Its-Its heavy. Give me a hand Ash!" she practically ordered.

"Oh-right!" Ash scurried throwing his rod aside and gripped Misty's.

"Ash, your palms are all sweaty!" she complained, "You're loosening my grip. Pull by my waist!" she said sounding annoyed.

"Your w-what?"

The line pulled her towards the edge of the bank. "Pull me idiot!"

"Ahh..." Ash looked alarmed at the predicament of touching her by her waist, the same part of body that he caught himself guilty of thinking about. The line was pulling her even closer to the water. He closed his eyes and abruptly caught hold of her waist.

The boy...simply collapsed at the touch.

...and inadvertently pushed Misty and himself into the river.

The red head groaned. "Get up Ash. We lost the catch." She said and tapped on his shoulder. There was no response. "Get up Ash!" she shook him violently. The first hint of panic crept onto her face. She struggled to lift the younger teen and place him on the river back.

"Ash, wake up!" she shook his head. Her experience in the water type gym had thought her many things about drowning and its first aid. She placed the boy facing the ground and pushed on his back to spill out any water that might've entered his lungs.

No response.

Without any hesitation, like a pro, she prepared for the last resort. CPR. Placing him right side up, she pursed his lips open and took and deep breath. In just the first mouth to mouth breath the raven haired trainer shot up.

He looked frantically at completely drenched and worried looking Misty, and his first thoughts were, '_why-why was she k-kissing me?_'

"You alright?" asked in a soft tone.

"Y-you kissed me!"

Misty looked annoyed and embarrassed at the same time, "Oh, you moro-"

"Yuck! Why'd you have to do that?" he questioned even before getting the idea of what had happened.

A tear drop slid down Misty's eye. "W-was it that b-bad?"

Not even waiting for an answer the red head picked up her fishing rod and walked away downstream weeping to herself.

A confused Ash looked the other fishing rod on the ground for a moment and then...like a flash he remembered everything. He must've taken down Misty into the river when he collapsed and drowned and she just tried a CPR on him.

The boy felt terrible for making her feel so bad. He never thought his foolishness would cause her to cry. He picked up the fishing rod and something lit up in his mind. He took the fishing rod, jumped into the river and swam downstream hiding under water.

.o0o.

Misty sat on the bank of the river, her eyes unfocused, and her rod standing by itself baited into the river. With a twig in her hand she scribbled aimlessly in the clay.

_What's wrong with me? He returns after all these years, and here I thought, he'd changed. Was I just too unforgivably rude to him all those years ago?_

_No, I was wrong thinking he liked me after all these years. _

The redhead sketched what looked like Ash's face in the mud and completed it with two lightening bolt marks under the cheeks. She wiped away a tear off her cheek and started giggling.

Suddenly her fishing rod began to sway and the line started tugging the rod in. She got up unenthusiastically and tried too pull the line in, "Weird? This thing is heavier than the last? What's wrong with this river?"

Her tugs proved to be in vain against the huge catch. "No way this thing is escaping!" she determined and took off her top and shorts, and wearing just her inners she jumped into the river, colliding into a dumbstruck Ash.

"M-Misty!"

"Ash?!"

Her body froze at the touch of Ash's bare chest. His reaction was no less of disbelief as his body touched her soft and smooth waist. They stayed in water for a good few minutes embracing each other in shock until he decided to break the silence, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean what I said. I-I was so stupid."

"I'm sorry too," Misty replied, "I shouldn't have startled you with CPR."

"No! It was good!" he replied.

"What?...The CPR?"

"No...This!" with that he pulled her into a passionate kiss. The red head was shocked beyond belief but soon returned it with the same rigor. The few seconds felt like eternity, when finally they had to break apart for the fear of drowning underwater.

The two teens looked down into the water shyly and snuggled into each other for some warmth. She rubbed his wet hair and noticed something new about him. "Where're your hat?"

"It must've gotten washed away when you pounced on me..."

"Just to let you know Ash, you look cuter without that damned hat."

"Really?"

She swam a little closer to him and touched his forehead to push away a few bangs of hair. Ash jerked back slightly at the touch causing the red head to giggle, "you're still shy...even after you pulled off that extraordinaire kiss?"

"Maybe I just need a little more practice," he said pulling her in for another long passionate kiss.

A totodile jumped out of water and began dancing on a bounder a few feet away from the teens. "Totodile? What the hell are you doing here?" the raven haired trainer asked blushing crimson red.

"cro-cro cro-cro cro-cro-croooo" the dile jumped up and down dancing.

Misty narrowed her eyes at the water Pokemon, "Oh, I see. You're the one who tugged my line upstream and pulled us in!" Misty fumed. Totodile nodded in acceptance. Misty pulled out her wrath pan and threatened to hit the water type.

"All's well that ends well, eh Misty?" Ash said swimming between her and the Pokemon and grinned sheepishly.

"Oh, it's not gonna end here for you Mister Pokemon master," she said in a warning tone pointing her pan at the boy.

"I certainly hope not," Ash replied smiling with his hands behind the back. "I intend to do a lot more with you besides just kissing Misty."

Her pan fell and sank into the water. "W-what?" she asked for clarification blushing crimson red. He pulled her by her waist and looked into her eyes, "Will you travel with me to Unova Misty?"

The water Pokemon trainer sighed, and nodded, grinning like a kid.

**A/n-**

Ash-x-Misty one-shot, just as I promised, or will promise in the other story? o_O. Whatever. It took me several hours to write this up. Half the time I didn't know what I was writing, the ideas just came by when I was typing.

How was the story? I tried to keep the characters as closer to anime as possible. But, you cannot write a good fan-fiction without going a little OOC. I felt a little bored writing the first half, but the ideas kicked in later.

Believe it or not. I changed the title of the story three times.

So, leave a comment and favorite.

Signing off

**Skywa1ker**


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